Serafina Montague, Countess of Clairmont accepted the cup of tea handed to her by the duchess’s companion, and smiled her thanks. While Her Grace was preparing the tea for the four of them, she kept up a light patter of social conversation, and Seffie responded in kind. She might not know London society, but at her estate and in the nearby villages, she was the grand lady, and it was her job to put people at ease.
All the time, she was wondering how to ask for the information she wanted. She was sure the duchess would know. Her Grace reportedly knew everyone who was anyone. But would she tell Seffie the same thing as Lord and Lady Barrington, the only people Seffie knew in the whole of London? “You should not even know that such events exist, Lady Clairmont. Or such men. Nothing good can come of giving you the address. Wait at Clairmont House. Better yet, go home to Clairhaven. No doubt the earl will return when he is ready.”
She brooded over her tea, while her face grew stiff from holding a pleasant expression. She had waited long enough. She wanted to see her husband, and if she had to follow him to a notorious house party, then she would do so. If the duchess would tell her were to go.
When everyone was served, the duchess gave her the cue she needed. “I understand your husband has returned to England, Lady Clairmont. You must be pleased.”
“I have not yet seen my husband, Your Grace,” she said. “I hope I will be pleased once we have met.” She took a deep breath. “I would like your help with that, if you would be so kind.”
The duchess raised interrogatory eyebrows. “In what way?” she asked.
“I need to know the address of a man called Seddon. All I know about him is that he is holding a house party. My husband is at that house party. I plan to go and talk to him.”
The eyebrows lifted still further. “Seddon is not an uncommon name,” she commented, her tone bland.
“I have been told that this Mr Seddon’s house parties are…” she paused, trying to find the right word.
Her Grace completed the sentence for her. “Notorious? If that is the Mr Seddon you are looking for, Lady Clairmont, you must be very careful.”
“I will be careful, but I am not going to wait any longer for Clairmont to find it convenient to remember that I exist.” The sympathy in the duchess’s eyes drew the truth from her. “I have been exchanging letters with Clairmont for twelve years, Your Grace. On paper he seems to be a man I like, but the stories about him do not give me confidence that I will ever have a true marriage. I will, however, have a child, if I can. And for that, I must meet the man. And…” she trailed off, waving a hand to signify the more intimate things she would have to do in order for a child to be a possibility.
The duchess nodded. “Very well. I think I know who can tell me whether the Mr Seddon I am thinking of is currently having one of his house parties, and perhaps even whether Lord Clairmont is in attendance. We shall talk further about how to make sure you are safe at such a house party once I have the information you need.”
Seffie sat back in her chair and took another sip of her tea. She did not yet feel triumph. But she had taken another step towards it.
The Truant Lord Clairmont
Lady Clairmont goes to a scandalous house party to retrieve her truant husband after his return to England from a nine-year absence. What she discovers is unexpected.
A short story in Sunflower Season
SUNFLOWER SEASON is a charity collection featuring stories (some never-been-published and some old favorites) by over 70 — that’s right — SEVENTY of your favorite Historical Romance authors. ALL royalties will be donated to humanitarian relief in Ukraine. This set will be released on June 7, 2022 and will only be available for a limited time. Preorder now and enjoy a summer of historical romance!
Featuring novellas, stories and novels by Sabrina Jeffries, Christi Caldwell, Amalie Howard, Virginia Heath, Caroline Lee, Golden Angel, Bree Wolf, Lori Ann Bailey, Nicole Locke, Natasha Blackthorne, Royaline Sing, Lenora Bell, Sabrina Jeffries, Amy Quinton, Janna MacGregor, Annabelle Anders, Rachel Ann Smith, Eva Devon, Sandra Sookoo, Tabetha Waite, Diana Bold, Sadie Bosque, Cheryl Bolen, Erica Monroe, Kate Bateman, Cara Maxwell, Tracy Sumner, Jenna Jaxon, Jane Charles, Eliza Knight, Mariah Stone, Robyn DeHart, Wendy LaCapra, Hildie McQueen, Madeline Martin, Amy Rose Bennett, Ava Bond, Kristin Vayden, Piper Huguley, Fenna Edgewood, Kathryn Le Veque, Caroline Linden, Nancy Yeager, Dawn Brower, Celeste Barclay, Lauren Royal, Michele Pollock Dalton, Glynnis Campbell, Rose Pearson, Erica Ridley, Sydney Jane Baily, Deb Marlowe, Rebecca Paula, Amanda Mariel, Christine Sterling, Ava Stone, Lauren Smith, Sawyer Quinn, Caroline Warfield, Jessica A Clements, Jude Knight, Anna St. Claire, Tamara Gill, Gina Conkle, Charlie Lane, Terri Brisbin, Bronwen Evans, Emmanuelle de Maupassant, Merry Farmer, Tammy Andresen, Cecelia Mecca, Meredith Bond, Christine Donovan, Lana Williams, Carrie Lomax, Eve Pendle, Bethany Bennett, Bianca Blythe, Maggie Dallen, Samara Parish, Anna Campbell and more????
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